United Nations A/CONF.151/26 (Vol. I)

General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL12 August 1992 

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

  REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT*

(Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992)

Annex I

RIO DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,

Having met at Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992,

Reaffirming the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the HumanEnvironment, adopted at Stockholm on 16 June 1972, a/ and seeking to build uponit,

With the goal of establishing a new and equitable global partnershipthrough the creation of new levels of cooperation among States, key sectors ofsocieties and people,

Working towards international agreements which respect the interests ofall and protect the integrity of the global environmental and developmentalsystem,

Recognizing the integral and interdependent nature of the Earth, ourhome,

Proclaims that:

Principle 1

Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.

Principle 2

States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and theprinciples of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their ownresources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, andthe responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction orcontrol do not cause damage to the environment of other States or of areasBeyond the limits of national jurisdiction.

Principle 3

The right to development must be fulfilled so as to equitably meetDevelopmental and environmental needs of present and future generations.

Principle 4

In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protectionshall constitute an integral part of the development process and cannot beConsidered in isolation from it.

Principle 5

All States and all people shall cooperate in the essential task oferadicating poverty as an indispensable requirement for sustainabledevelopment, in order to decrease the disparities in standards of living andBetter meet the needs of the majority of the people of the world.

Principle 6

The special situation and needs of developing countries, particularly theleast developed and those most environmentally vulnerable, shall be givenspecial priority. International actions in the field of environment anddevelopment should also address the interests and needs of all countries.

Principle 7

States shall cooperate in a spirit of global partnership to conserve,protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth's ecosystem. In viewof the different contributions to global environmental degradation, States havecommon but differentiated responsibilities. The developed countriesacknowledge the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit ofsustainable development in view of the pressures their societies place on theglobal environment and of the technologies and financial resources theycommand.

Principle 8

To achieve sustainable development and a higher quality of life for allpeople, States should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of productionand consumption and promote appropriate demographic policies.

Principle 9

States should cooperate to strengthen endogenous capacity-building forsustainable development by improving scientific understanding through exchangesof scientific and technological knowledge, and by enhancing the development,adaptation, diffusion and transfer of technologies, including new andInnovative technologies.

Principle 10

Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of allconcerned citizens, at the relevant level. At the national level, eachindividual shall have appropriate access to information concerning theenvironment that is held by public authorities, including information onhazardous materials and activities in their communities, and the opportunityto participate in decision-making processes. States shall facilitate andencourage public awareness and participation by making information widelyavailable. Effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings,including redress and remedy, shall be provided.

Principle 11

States shall enact effective environmental legislation. Environmentalstandards, management objectives and priorities should reflect theenvironmental and developmental context to which they apply. Standards appliedby some countries may be inappropriate and of unwarranted economic and socialcost to other countries, in particular developing countries.

Principle 12

States should cooperate to promote a supportive and open internationaleconomic system that would lead to economic growth and sustainable developmentin all countries, to better address the problems of environmental degradation. Trade policy measures for environmental purposes should not constitute a meansof arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction oninternational trade. Unilateral actions to deal with environmental challengesoutside the jurisdiction of the importing country should be avoided.

Environmental measures addressing trans boundary or global environmentalproblems should, as far as possible, be based on an international consensus.

Principle 13

States shall develop national law regarding liability and compensationfor the victims of pollution and other environmental damage. States shall alsocooperate in an expeditious and more determined manner to develop furtherinternational law regarding liability and compensation for adverse effects ofenvironmental damage caused by activities within their jurisdiction or controlto areas beyond their jurisdiction.

Principle 14

States should effectively cooperate to discourage or prevent therelocation and transfer to other States of any activities and substances thatcause severe environmental degradation or are found to be harmful to humanhealth.

Principle 15

In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall bewidely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there arethreats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certaintyshall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to preventenvironmental degradation.

Principle 16

National authorities should endeavour to promote the internalization ofenvironmental costs and the use of economic instruments, taking into accountthe approach that the polluter should, in principle, bear the cost ofpollution, with due regard to the public interest and without distortinginternational trade and investment.

Principle 17

Environmental impact assessment, as a national instrument, shall beundertaken for proposed activities that are likely to have a significantadverse impact on the environment and are subject to a decision of a competentnational authority.

Principle 18

States shall immediately notify other States of any natural disasters or

other emergencies that are likely to produce sudden harmful effects on theenvironment of those States. Every effort shall be made by the internationalcommunity to help States so afflicted.

Principle 19

States shall provide prior and timely notification and relevantinformation to potentially affected States on activities that may have asignificant adverse transboundary environmental effect and shall consult withthose States at an early stage and in good faith.

Principle 20

Women have a vital role in environmental management and development. Their full participation is therefore essential to achieve sustainabledevelopment.

Principle 21

The creativity, ideals and courage of the youth of the world should bemobilized to forge a global partnership in order to achieve sustainabledevelopment and ensure a better future for all.

Principle 22

Indigenous people and their communities and other local communities havea vital role in environmental management and development because of theirknowledge and traditional practices. States should recognize and duly supporttheir identity, culture and interests and enable their effective participationin the achievement of sustainable development.

Principle 23

The environment and natural resources of people under oppression,domination and occupation shall be protected.

Principle 24

Warfare is inherently destructive of sustainable development. Statesshall therefore respect international law providing protection for theenvironment in times of armed conflict and cooperate in its furtherdevelopment, as necessary.

Principle 25

Peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent andindivisible.

Principle 26

States shall resolve all their environmental disputes peacefully and byappropriate means in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

Principle 27

States and people shall cooperate in good faith and in a spirit ofpartnership in the fulfilment of the principles embodied in this Declarationand in the further development of international law in the field of sustainabledevelopment.

* * * * * a/ Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment,Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.73.II.A.14and corrigendum), chap. I.

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